The Tiruchirapalli Municipal Corporation will start training members
of the city's community groups on food safety and hygiene. V P
Thandapani, the corporation's commissioner, said this at a valediction
of the state-level training programme on detection of food adulteration,
co-organised by the Concert Trust (a voluntary organisation) and the
Union ministry of consumer affairs.
“It is essential that people are sensitised on the need to prevent adulteration in food products and ensure hygiene. The corporation has formed community groups to take up the maintenance of public toilets and other assets. Training on food safety will be imparted to the members of these groups in association with the Concert Trust,” he added.
It was noted that although the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) has been in existence since 2006, the expected impact of the law has not been felt, owing as much to oppositions from certain sections of the society as to the lack of awareness about the safety of food products. It is widely believed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) laid too much emphasis on food safety.
R Santhanam, former secretary, consumer protection, opined, “In India, which has a low per capita income, people tend to look only at the price and not the quality. Even the affluent are done in by attractive packaging and pricing, and do not enquire about the quality of products. There are several ways to check the adulteration of food, but people are not aware of them.”
The speakers at the function concurred that although the country has always had laws in place to curb adulteration in food, their enforcement has not been strict. However, laws alone would be insufficient to keep the malpractice in check. It is imperative to raise awareness among the people. The absence of information, and not technology, is a constraint in checking adulteration.
The best trainees were felicitated at the valediction, and an exhibition of photographs on food safety was held. R Desikan and G Santhanarajan, the Concert Trust's chairman and director (foods) respectively, addressed the gathering. Consumers were informed that they could lodge complaints with the trust by dialling its helpline number (044-66334346).
Incidentally, the Concert Trust had earlier conducted the training in three phases. In 2011-12, it was held at about thirty-nine places in thirteen districts. It is estimated that over 1,192 women benefited from the programme – they were exposed to various aspects of checking food adulteration.
During the aforementioned training programme, the participants detected adulteration in about 151 food products, and identified about 152 labels as being defective as per the Food Safety and Standards Rules (FSSR), 2011. The matter was subsequently taken up by the food safety commissioners and the controller of legal metrology, who are said to have initiated action.
“It is essential that people are sensitised on the need to prevent adulteration in food products and ensure hygiene. The corporation has formed community groups to take up the maintenance of public toilets and other assets. Training on food safety will be imparted to the members of these groups in association with the Concert Trust,” he added.
It was noted that although the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) has been in existence since 2006, the expected impact of the law has not been felt, owing as much to oppositions from certain sections of the society as to the lack of awareness about the safety of food products. It is widely believed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) laid too much emphasis on food safety.
R Santhanam, former secretary, consumer protection, opined, “In India, which has a low per capita income, people tend to look only at the price and not the quality. Even the affluent are done in by attractive packaging and pricing, and do not enquire about the quality of products. There are several ways to check the adulteration of food, but people are not aware of them.”
The speakers at the function concurred that although the country has always had laws in place to curb adulteration in food, their enforcement has not been strict. However, laws alone would be insufficient to keep the malpractice in check. It is imperative to raise awareness among the people. The absence of information, and not technology, is a constraint in checking adulteration.
The best trainees were felicitated at the valediction, and an exhibition of photographs on food safety was held. R Desikan and G Santhanarajan, the Concert Trust's chairman and director (foods) respectively, addressed the gathering. Consumers were informed that they could lodge complaints with the trust by dialling its helpline number (044-66334346).
Incidentally, the Concert Trust had earlier conducted the training in three phases. In 2011-12, it was held at about thirty-nine places in thirteen districts. It is estimated that over 1,192 women benefited from the programme – they were exposed to various aspects of checking food adulteration.
During the aforementioned training programme, the participants detected adulteration in about 151 food products, and identified about 152 labels as being defective as per the Food Safety and Standards Rules (FSSR), 2011. The matter was subsequently taken up by the food safety commissioners and the controller of legal metrology, who are said to have initiated action.
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